Contributors

Friday, October 31, 2008

If you happen to be out walking near the outskirts of the quiet village of Buckland Vermont on a dark night, legend has it, you can smell the smoke from the potbelly wood stove and hear the howling. The potbelly stove belonged to Howard Twittleford, and so did the howling.

Howard was a hermit who lived in a ram shackled cabin in the middle of the woods. His closest neighbor, well, human neighbor, lived over five miles away, and that neighbor, Pete Culver, said on a still night he could hear the howling as if it were right outside his window.

Howard at one time lived in town, but was such an odd duck, scared his neighbors. He’d never speak to any humans, but would bark at the neighborhood dogs and caw at the crows. One day, to the relief of all, Howard packed up some clothes, his potbelly stove and a big bag of bird seed and headed out to the forest outside of town.

Howard lived happily for many years, never venturing back into town. Pete Culver would bring Howard some supplies and food now and again. Pete never saw any animals close by, but said the cabin was covered in black feathers and gnawed on bones.

In the warmer months, Howard kept a bowl of seed on his potbelly stove top next to an open window. The window sill was carved up with claw marks. “In all my days, I’ve never seen claw marks that big.” Pete marveled. “Must have been some pretty darn big birds.”

One October moonlit night the air was dead quiet. And that’s when the howling began. The howling was so loud and ominous it sent shivers down Pete’s spine. “I knew something must be wrong.” Pete figured.

The next morning Pete headed over to Howard’s cabin. There he found a sight which he won’t soon forget. Howard was dead on the floor, covered with wolf hair and surrounded by black crows. Pete buried Howard next to his cabin and sprinkled seed over the grave.

Pete went back home, got his mules and wagon, and then went back to Howard’s cabin and got the wood stove. Years later, Pete, who by then was an old-timer, sold the potbelly to Stove Black Richardson.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Would you believe that the lovely little girl in this photo is our beloved Sara the Stove Princess? I’m the witch and the darling Lil’ Gypsy is my sister Meg.We are ready to go trick-or-treating with older brother Jaime, the Grim Reaper. We are standing in front of Glenwood Oak heating stove. This stove has been heating my mother’s 12,000 square foot house of their mother for twenty-five years. (We do have the powerful heater in stock for anyone looking to warm trick-or-treaters for next Halloween.)

Notice the small red broom Sara is holding is the actual broom use to sweep up the stove’s ashes.

Also notice the turn-of-the century Hoosier Cabinet in the background.

Jaime used to scare the liver out of us before trick-or-treating.

We would march in the Williamsburg Shag Rag Parade. This is a smalltown, New England tradition. Costume-adorned children parade down the Main Street of town, often to the local firehouse for halloween games, races and other fun. And of course from there, we trick-or-treat the town.

With full bags of candy, we would return home where we would sort and trade candies. The Glenwood Oak would warm us up after our Hallow’s Eve adventure.

We here at the Good Time Stove Company wish you and your loved ones a safe and Happy Halloween filled with special treats and treasured memories.

Friday, October 17, 2008

It’s that time of year, at least here in western Massachusetts, when “the frost is on the pumpkin.” The days are still fairly warm, but the nights are getting mighty cool. Cool enough to start the wood stove.

There’s still plenty of time to get a wood stove for the winter and a couple of cords of wood. There’s also still time to come and enjoy the fall foliage in western, Massachusetts and to pick up pumpkins for Halloween.

Our neck of the woods knows pumpkins. If you take a drive down the scenic route 5&10 from Northampton to Greenfield, you’ll pass by numerous roadside stands selling pumpkins, apples, cider, maple sugar, and Autumn produce like squash and turnips.

We not only know pumpkins, we CELEBRATE PUMPKINS. Our good pals in Whately, near the scenic route 5&10, will be hosting their 21st annual festive pumpkin carving party this month.

And on Columbus Day weekend we here at the Good Time Stove Company hosted our annual pumpkin party, complete with a delicious potluck supper, live music, and dozens of carved, candled-filled pumpkins that lit up the gardens.See some photos of the fun below. Click Here for Pictures of the Party!

So why not come on by for a visit, pick out an antique stove to keep you warm this winter, and a couple of pumpkins to celebrate the season. We’d certainly love to show you our collection of stoves – and carved pumpkins.

On Columbus Day weekend we here at the Good Time Stove Company hosted our annual pumpkin party, complete with a delicious potluck supper, live music, and dozens of carved, candled-filled pumpkins that lit up the gardens.See some photos of the fun below.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Halloween is just around the corner. And it’s the perfect time to share ghost stories. There are many inns, museums, taverns, bed & breakfasts, old houses and homesteads that are steeped in history – and hauntings.

Do you have a good ghost story involving a location with a wood stove? Have you ever been to a historic place that’s not only haunted but has a wood stove?

If so, we’d love to hear from you. We invite you to submit your ghost story, and any links to locations that are haunted and have antique wood stoves and kitchen ranges. The week of Halloween we’ll post the tales on our blog.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Antique Stove

Letter Heads & Bill Heads

Good Time Stove Company has a huge archive of stove related literature, ephemera and paraphernalia. My father has assembled an amazing collection of antique stove letterheads.

These elaborate drawings depict factories and foundries where stoves were produced by the tens of thousands. Skilled artists drew factories, portraits of the founders, logos and illustrations of the stoves with perfect accuracy, size and detail down to the minutest detail. These drawing were incorporated into letterheads, billheads, catalogs and trade cards to promote the industry.

We are sure you will be taken with the breadth and depth of this collection. We are always looking to expand our archive and invite any comments or contributions you might be able to make to this collection.